Helmet provided with a ring for connecting the helmet to an anti-theft system

ABSTRACT

A helmet comprising a hard shell and a flexible shell extending inside the hard shell, the helmet including an attachment device suitable for attaching to an antitheft system external to the helmet. The attachment device comprises a ring suitable for having a link of said antitheft system external to the helmet pass therethrough, the ring being mechanically connected to the hard shell so as to be movable relative to the hard shell between a stowed position and an extended position; in the stowed position, a major portion of the ring is located inside a cavity that is defined at least in part by said hard shell and, in the extended position, at least a portion of the ring is located outside said cavity to enable said link of the antitheft system to pass through the ring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of helmets.

A helmet is generally worn by a user in order to cover a portion of theuser's head and limit any risk of trauma to the user in the event of afall and/or an impact to the head.

Between two uses of the helmet, the user needs to take it off, and thereis then a risk of it being stolen, in particular if the helmet isattached to the vehicle (such as a bicycle, a scooter, a motorcycle, ora quad bike).

In order to prevent it being stolen, the user can pass a link of ananti-theft system that is external to the helmet through a strap of thehelmet or possibly around a fixed chin guard made out of a portion ofthe hard shell of the helmet. The link of the anti-theft system may be acable or a U-bar.

In the event of an attempted theft, there is then a risk of the strapsbeing cut and/or degraded and of the chin guard being damaged by forcestransmitted via the link of the anti-theft system.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a helmet that solvesthe above-mentioned problems of the prior art in full or in part.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To this end, the invention relates essentially to a helmet comprising ahard shell and a flexible shell extending inside the hard shell, thehelmet including an attachment device suitable for attaching to anantitheft system external to the helmet.

The helmet of the invention is essentially characterized in that theattachment device comprises a ring suitable for having a link of saidantitheft system external to the helmet pass therethrough, the ringbeing mechanically connected to the hard shell so as to be movablerelative to the hard shell between a stowed position and an extendedposition;

-   -   in the stowed position, a major portion of the ring is located        inside a cavity that is defined at least in part by said hard        shell and, in the extended position, at least a portion of the        ring is located outside said cavity to enable said link of the        antitheft system to pass through the ring.

In order to understand the invention, the term “hard shell” is arelative term compared with the hardness of the flexible shell (in otherwords, the hard shell is harder than the flexible shell).

The link of the antitheft system may be a cable of the antitheft systemexternal to the helmet or a chain of the antitheft system or a U-bar ofthe antitheft system external to the helmet, an open ring of a padlockforming an antitheft system.

The fact of having a ring that is mechanically connected to the hardshell makes it easier to attach the helmet using an antitheft systemhaving the link for passing through the ring in its extended position.

The zone where the antitheft system is attached is thus located at thering, which constitutes direct engagement with the helmet that isdedicated to this attachment.

This makes it easier to attach the helmet using the antitheft system,while limiting any risk of the helmet being damaged while it isattached.

The antitheft system may connect the helmet to a support such as astationary support or a portion of the vehicle, e.g. a wheel of thevehicle, a handlebar, a chassis of the vehicle, a fixed attachmentforming part of the vehicle and accessible from outside the vehicle, ora fixed attachment forming part of the vehicle and accessible frominside a storage box of the vehicle, the storage box being suitable forreceiving the helmet therein.

Ideally, the ring of the helmet includes a passage for the link of theantitheft system that allows a cylindrical rod having a diameter greaterthan 2 millimeters (mm) to pass through the ring, the rod preferablyhaving a diameter greater than 10 mm.

Ideally, this passage of the ring allows a cylindrical rod to pass thathas a diameter of less than 50 mm.

Another advantage of the helmet of the invention is that the ring can beplaced in the stowed position when it is no longer being used forpassing the link of the antitheft system.

In another aspect, the invention relates to an assembly comprisingfirstly a helmet in accordance with any of the embodiments of the helmetof the invention and secondly an electronic device selected from thegroup of electronic devices constituted by:

-   -   an antitheft alarm electronic device comprising a sound source        and/or a transmitter for transmitting an alarm message via a        wireless communications network;    -   an electronic device for geolocating the helmet;    -   a device for detecting an impact applied to the housing;    -   a device for detecting breakage of the ring (e.g. by detecting a        loss of electrical continuity along the ring);    -   a device for detecting tear-off forces applied to the housing;    -   an electronic device for detecting at least one current position        of the ring relative to the hard shell, which electronic device        for detecting at least one current position of the ring is        arranged to transmit a signal representative of the current        position via a communication channel, the message being sent to        another electronic device in order to cause a function that is        performed by that other electronic device either to be executed        or else to be stopped; and any combination of such electronic        devices.

Such an assembly is particularly useful, since it provides the helmetwith mechanical protection against theft while also providing means fordetecting the state of the helmet (where the term “state” may beunderstood as being its position and/or the position of the ringrelative to the hard shell and/or the mechanical stress being applied toa portion of the helmet).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear clearlyfrom the following description that is given by way of nonlimitingindication and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows two views of a helmet of the invention in which the ring isarranged in a rear zone at the bottom of the helmet, the ring being inthe stowed position in the left view and in the extended position in theright view, with the link of the anti-theft system in this example beinga cable;

FIG. 2 shows firstly two views of a first helmet of the invention thatincludes a cavity/alcove formed at the rear of the helmet and in whichthe ring is to be found, together with a tiltable hatch for closing thealcove, the hatch being opened by pressing manually on a manualactuation zone of the hatch or of the ring, the actuation zone in thisexample being a button situated at the rear of the helmet; and secondlya third view of a second helmet of the invention likewise provided withan alcove in which the ring is fully stowed when in the stowed position,and in this example a hatch closing the alcove is tilted manuallytowards the bottom of the helmet (the hatch being actuated directly byhand in order to be able to reach the ring);

FIG. 3 shows firstly a first view of an assembly comprising amotorcycle, an antitheft system attached to the handlebar of themotorcycle, and a helmet of the invention with its ring in the extendedposition, a link of the antitheft system passing through the ring, and acover extending all around the helmet in order to protect it, with onlythe ring lying outside the cover, and secondly a helmet of the inventionattached to a scooter structure via an antitheft system;

FIG. 4 shows firstly a section view of a helmet of invention worn by auser, the ring in this example being incorporated in a housing so as tobe movable between a stowed position as shown and an extended position,and secondly a rear view of the helmet shown in the section view, thehousing being shown in transparency with the ring in the stowed positionand the ring in the extended position being shown grayed out;

FIG. 5 shows a first section view of a helmet of the invention worn by auser, the cavity receiving the ring being placed at the rear of thehelmet, this cavity forming an alcove that can be closed selectively bya slidable hatch, a second view from the rear showing the hatch slidingoutside the hard shell of the helmet between a high position for closingthe alcove and a low position enabling the ring to pass out from thealcove, and the third view in this FIG. 5 showing the alcove 31 open,the hatch 32, and the ring 15 in the extended position, the ring 15 inthis example being attached to a base 17 inserted in the alcove andattached to the outside of the hard shell 11;

FIG. 6 shows two views of the helmet of invention in an embodiment inwhich the ring-receiving cavity is placed at the rear of the helmet,this cavity forming an alcove that is closed selectively by a slidablehatch, which in this example is slidable inside the half shell of thehelmet between a low position for closing the alcove and a high positionfor allowing the ring to pass out from the alcove, a button serving tocause the hatch to move between its positions;

FIG. 7a shows a section view of a helmet of the invention in anembodiment in which the base fastened to the hard shell belongs to ahousing, the ring being rigid and open to the inside of the housing,with curved ends of the ring that are situated on either side of theopening of the ring penetrating into side rails 50 for guiding movementof the ring in translation between its stowed and extended positions,each of the rails being formed in the base, specifically on oppositelongitudinal sides of the base;

FIG. 7b shows a view of the FIG. 7a helmet from below in which it can beseen that each of the curved ends of the open ring is to be found in acorresponding one of the rails 50 of the base so as to be capable ofsliding between its extended and stowed positions, the ring being shownin this example in its extended position, and the helmet being shownwithout its flexible shell that is normally positioned inside the hardshell, with the housing then being located between the flexible shelland the hard shell;

FIG. 7c is an exploded view of the housing shown in FIGS. 7a and 7 b;

FIG. 7d shows a longitudinal section view and a face view of the housingof FIGS. 7a to 7c , the ring being shown in its extended position;

FIG. 7e shows the housing of FIG. 7d and the ring carried by the base,the ring being in its stowed position;

FIG. 8a is a section view of a helmet of the invention, this view beingsimilar to the view of FIG. 7a , but in this example the ring is aclosed ring;

FIG. 8b shows a view of the FIG. 8a helmet from below;

FIG. 8c is an exploded view of the housing shown in FIGS. 8a and 8 b;

FIG. 8d shows a longitudinal section view and a face view of the housingof FIGS. 8a to 8c , the ring being shown in its position when extendedunder the effect of two return members for urging the ring at itsextended position, these members being located inside the housing 20 andeach of these return members 30 belonging to a group of members that maycomprise a resilient return member such as a helical spring, a magneticreturn member such as a permanent magnet;

FIG. 8e shows a longitudinal section view and a face view of the housingof FIGS. 8a to 8c , the ring being shown in its position when extendedunder the effect of two return members for urging the ring from itsstowed position towards its extended position of FIG. 8d , these membersbeing located inside the housing 20 and each of these return members 30belonging to a group of members that may comprise a resilient returnmember such as a helical spring, a magnetic return member such as apermanent magnet;

FIG. 9a is a section view of a helmet of the invention, in an embodimentin which the ring is merely pivotally mounted on the base without ahousing, the base being fastened in the cavity 16 of the hard shell soas to face the flexible shell;

FIG. 9b shows a view of the FIG. 9a helmet from below;

FIG. 9c shows views of the base and of the ring of FIGS. 9a and 9 bn,with the rigid ring 11 pivotally mounted on the base 17 so as to occupythe stowed position as shown in the left view or the extended positionas shown in the right view; and

FIG. 10 shows an electronic device 60 for being carried at least in partby the helmet 1, and specifically the device 60 comprises an electronicdetector device 61 for detecting at least one current position of thering 15 relative to the housing 20 (this electronic detector device 61for detecting at least one current position of the ring relative to thehousing is carried by the helmet, specifically it is carried by thehousing, and it is arranged to transmit a signal representative of thiscurrent position via a communication channel, the message beingaddressed to another electronic device that may optionally beincorporated in the helmet, e.g. inside the housing, or that may beremote from the helmet, so as to cause a function that is performed bythe other electronic device either to be executed or else to bestopped).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 b, the invention relates mainly to ahelmet 1 comprising a hard shell 11 and a flexible shell 12 extendinginside the hard shell.

The helmet includes an attachment device 13 for attaching to anantitheft system 14 external to the helmet.

The attachment device 13 comprises a ring 15 for having a link of saidantitheft system 14 external to the helmet pass therethrough.

The link of the antitheft system may be an antitheft system cable or anantitheft system chain or an antitheft system U-bar.

The ring 15 is mechanically connected to the hard shell 11 so as to bemovable relative to the hard shell 11 between a stowed position and anextended position.

In the stowed position, a major portion of the ring 15 is to be foundinside a cavity 16 that is defined at least in part by said hard shell11.

In the extended position, at least a portion of the ring 15 lies outsidesaid cavity 16 so as to enable it to have said link of the antitheftsystem 14 pass therethrough.

As can be understood from the various figures, the helmet may include arigid base 17 that is rigidly fastened against the hard shell 11, saidring being mechanically connected to the hard shell 11 via the rigidbase 17.

A thief seeking to slide a tool between the base 17 and the hard shell11 runs the risk of destroying or damaging the hard shell 11, whichwould make the helmet unusable. The thief is thus dissuaded fromstealing the helmet, since there is then a risk of making itnon-functional.

As can be understood from FIGS. 7a to 7e and 8a to 8e and 9c , the base17 includes guide surfaces 50 a for guiding movement of said ring 15relative to the base 17 so as to guide the movement of the ring betweenits stowed position and its extended position.

These guide surfaces 50 a are fixed in position relative to said hardshell 11, and for the most part they are located inside said cavity 16.

Since these guide surfaces 50 a are formed directly on the base 16,which is itself rigidly fastened against the hard shell 11, the movementof the ring 15 between its stowed position and its extended position isguided more accurately and the amplitude of the movement of the ringrelative to the hard shell is thus limited.

Once more, any potential for inserting tools to separate the ring 15from the remainder of the helmet is reduced, thereby contributing todissuading a thief.

Furthermore, since these guide surfaces are located inside said cavity16 for the most part, and preferably in full, they are more difficult toaccess with the tools of a thief, thereby increasing the security of themechanical connection between the ring and the hard shell.

The ring preferably belongs to a part that is provided with a remotesection, which remote section is at a distance from the ring and remainspermanently inside the housing in order to improve retention of thering.

As can be seen in FIGS. 8c to 8e , this remote section may includelongitudinal slots for guiding springs 30.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 8 a to 8 e, the guidesurfaces 50 a are arranged to allow the ring 15 to move in translationonly.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6, 9 a, and 9 b, the guidesurfaces are arranged to allow the ring to move relative to the base 17in pivoting only.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7a to 7e , the guide surfaces 50 a arearranged essentially to allow the ring to move in translation relativeto the base and to allow the ring to pivot relative to the base throughless than 10°. This pivoting takes place about an axis perpendicular tothe main axis for movement in translation of the ring when going fromthe stowed position to its extended position.

This limited pivoting through less than 10° of angle is used so as toenable the ring 15 to move past abutments 18 that in this example arestationary relative to the base so as to lie on the shortest path forthe ring going from the stowed position to its extended position.

Preferably a spring blade 19 serves to oppose pivoting of the ring 15 inorder to keep it against the abutments 18 while the ring is in itsstowed position and thus oppose movement of the ring past the abutments18.

As can be understood from FIGS. 7c to 7e , for the ring 15 to be able togo from its stowed position to its extended position it is necessary:

-   -   initially to exert a pivoting force on the ring against the        spring blade 19 until the ring has gone past the abutments 18;        and    -   subsequently to move the ring in translation by sliding along        the rails 50 until the ring reaches its extended position.

Preferably, the base 17 is rigidly fastened against the hard shell (11)by a plurality of fastenings 17 a that are spaced apart from one anotherso that the base 17 is pressed against the hard shell 11 under theeffect of the plurality of fastenings 17 a.

Having a plurality of fastenings 17 a reinforces the connection betweenthe base 17 and the hard shell and prevents the base 17 from being ableto pivot relative to the hard shell 11.

Using a plurality of fastenings that are spaced apart from one anotherincreases the strength of the connection between the base and the hardshell and, once again, contributes to dissuading a thief.

Ideally, a fastening 17 a of the plurality of fastenings is selectedfrom the group of fastenings consisting in: a rivet, a screw, moldingthe hard shell over zones of the base, and combinations of thesefastenings.

In each of the embodiments of the invention, it is preferable for thebase 17 to be located in full inside said cavity 16, thereby making itthat much less accessible to a thief seeking to damage it.

In each embodiment of the invention, it is preferable for the helmet 1also to include a housing 20, with the base 17 belonging to the housing20, and the housing 20 also including a cover 21 preventing access to azone where the ring is mechanically connected to the base.

In the stowed position, said major portion of the ring is located insidethe housing.

Thus, on passing between its stowed and extended positions, the ring 15moves between the base 17 and the cover 21 of the housing 20.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 8c to 8e , the base 17 and the cover 21 areflat and parallel, and they guide the ring 15 that is located betweenthe base and the cover.

The base is preferably a single piece of metal that is preferablyforged, and that is preferably made of stainless steel, e.g. of 316steel.

The ring is preferably a single piece of metal that is preferablyforged, and that is preferably made of stainless steel, e.g. of 316steel.

The flexible shell is preferably made of polystyrene.

The helmet may also include a comfort lining arranged inside theflexible shell to avoid direct contact between the flexible shell andthe user's head.

As shown in FIGS. 7a to 7e , the ring 15 may be a rigid ring that isopen, being open solely to the inside of the housing in either of saidstowed and extended positions.

In this embodiment, since the ring is rigid, it is difficult to deform,but it nevertheless remains easier to deform than a rigid ring that isclosed.

Locating the opening of the rigid ring solely inside the housing 20increases the resistance of the ring 15 to being splayed open, sinceaccess to its opening can take place only by forcing the housing 20.

In order to compensate the mechanical weakness of a rigid ring that isopen, the housing may include side abutments that limit the capacity forsplaying apart the opening of the ring 15 that is located inside thehousing.

Furthermore, the fact that the ring 15 is open inside the housingenables empty space to be released inside the housing.

Such empty space inside the housing 20 is thus available for positioningtherein a portion 61 of at least one electronic device 60.

Several embodiments of electronic devices are described below.

In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 8a to 8e , the ring 15 may be arigid ring that is closed.

A rigid ring that is closed presents greater mechanical strength than arigid ring that is open.

In another embodiment that is not shown, the ring may be flexible andmay be constituted by a cable having first and second terminal ends,which first and second terminal ends are attached to the base.

In this embodiment that is not shown, the helmet may also include alocking device that is movable between a locked configuration andunlocked configuration under the action of a control of the lockingdevice (by way of example, such a control of the locking device may be alock that is actuated by a mechanical key or a bolt that is controlledelectrically).

This locking device is fastened on the helmet, preferably against thebase, preferably inside the housing.

In the locked configuration, the second end of the cable is attached tothe base via the locking device, and in the unlocked configuration, thesecond end of the cable is free and is to be found outside the housing.

Thus, either both ends of the cable are connected directly to the base,or else only one of these ends is connected directly to the base, withthe other one of these ends being connected via the locking device inthe locked configuration.

The advantage of using a flexible ring constituted by a cable is that itenables the shape of the ring to be adapted to the needs for fasteningwith the external link of the antitheft system.

In the embodiment in which the second end of the cable is connected tothe base via a locking device, it is possible to use the locking meanscarried by the helmet on their own for the purpose of making the helmetsecure on any link of an antitheft system external to the helmet.

In this embodiment, the link of the antitheft system may be a fixedattachment in the form of a closed ring.

In the unlocked configuration, the second end of the cable can be passedthrough the link in the form of a fixed closed ring.

In each of the embodiments of the invention, such as in the embodimentof FIGS. 7a to 7e , the housing 20 may include two rails 50 for guidingthe ring 15 to move in translation between the stowed position and theextended position.

Likewise, as mentioned above with reference to those FIGS. 7a to 7e ,the housing 20 may include and/or support at least one mechanicalabutment 18 is arranged to be in contact against the ring 15 when thering is in the stowed position so as to prevent it from passing towardsits extended position.

In another aspect, as shown in FIGS. 8c to 8e , the helmet 1 may alsoinclude a manual actuation zone for actuating the ring and arranged tocause the ring to pass from its stowed position to its extended positionin response to manual action exerted on the manual actuation zone.

Typically, the manual actuation zone of the ring may be a button of aring locking mechanism or a press zone formed on the ring, the ring thenacting on a ring locking mechanism.

The ring locking mechanism is preferably arranged to hold the ringautomatically in its stowed position whenever the ring is moved manuallyinto the stowed position, and to move the ring towards its extendedposition in response to manual action on the manual actuation zone ofthe ring.

For example, the locking mechanism of the ring may comprise a monostablehook 24 mechanically connected to the manual actuation zone 26 andmovable between a monostable position for holding the ring in its stowedposition (shown in FIG. 8e ) and a release position (shown in FIG. 8d )that is reached in response to said manual action of the manualactuation zone of the ring 26.

As shown in FIGS. 8c, 8d, and 8e , the hook 24 is a pivotally mountedrocker 24 that is placed inside the housing 20 so as to pivot thereinabout a stationary pin 25 located inside the housing 20.

A second resilient return member 27, which in this example is acompressible helical spring, but that could be a spring blade (or anyother functional equivalent conventionally known the person skilled inthe art), exerts a return force for urging the hook 24 towards itsmonostable position for holding the ring in its stowed position. Thehousing includes a support zone 28 placed inside the housing andarranged to support a portion of said second resilient return member 27.

In the present example, the support zone 28 is a passage formed in thebase to receive the helical spring 27 that constitutes the secondresilient return member 27.

The hook 24, in this example the pivotally mounted rocker 24, has asupport zone 29 placed inside the housing and arranged to supportanother portion of said second resilient return member 27, specificallya second end of the helical spring 27.

In any of the embodiments in which the invention includes a housing, thehousing may also be provided with a so-called “push pull” systemadapted:

-   -   to allow the ring to go from its extended position towards its        retracted position under the effect of thrust exerted on the        ring;    -   to hold the ring in its stowed position; and    -   to allow the ring to pass from its stowed position towards its        extended position in response to thrust exerted on the ring to        push it beyond its stowed position while keeping it away from        its extended position.

In certain embodiments, such as those shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 7 a, 7 b, 8a, 8 b, 9 a, and 9 b, cavity 16 may be defined at least in part by aninside face of the hard shell 11 facing the flexible shell 12.

In addition to being embodied in this way, the cavity 16 is preferablyalso defined by the flexible shell in such a manner that the cavity liesbetween the hard shell 11 and the flexible shell 12, i.e. on the side ofthe hard shell 11 that faces towards the inside zone of the helmet 1that is to receive the user's head.

In alternative other embodiments, such as those shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5,and 6, said cavity 16 is defined by an outside face of said hard shell11, in a setback located in the outside face.

The cavity defined by the outside face forms an alcove 31.

Under such circumstances, the helmet 1 may include a hatch 32 forclosing the alcove 31, which hatch is movable between an open positionopening the alcove and a closed position closing the alcove.

In the open position, the hatch 32 allows the ring 15 to be placed inits extended position so that said at least one portion of the ring isto be found outside the alcove.

In its closed position, the hatch 32 prevents the ring from passing toits extended position.

In this embodiment, the helmet 1 may also include a return member forurging the ring from its stowed position towards its extended position.

Thus, if the hatch is moved towards its closed position, the ring isthen removed from its stowed position towards its extended positionunder the effect of this return member.

Such a return member may be a resilient return member such as a spring,a compressible elastomer, or a resilient tongue, or else a return memberusing magnetic force such as a magnet.

In certain embodiments, such as those shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, wherethe helmet includes simultaneously an alcove 31, a closure hatch 32, anda base 17 for mechanically connecting the ring 15 to the hard shell 11via the base, the hatch 32 also serves to protect the base and itsconnection with the ring in the stowed position.

In these embodiments, the base 17 is preferably positioned entirelyinside the alcove 31, thereby protecting it from any risk of being tornoff.

It should be observed that in each of the embodiments of the helmet thatincludes an electronic device 60, the electronic device may also includeat least one connection port 62, which port 62 may be located inside oroutside the cavity.

When the cavity 16 is defined by the outside face of the hard shell 11and forms an alcove 31, the port 62 is preferably positioned in thealcove 31 so as to be protected therein by the closed hatch 32.

It is also possible for the port 62 to be positioned in a space situatedbetween the hard shell 11 and the flexible shell 12 and to be opentowards the outside of the helmet.

Typically, the port is located towards the base of the hard shell.

By way of example, such a port may be a USB port for recharging abattery of the electronic device.

Returning to embodiments that include a hatch 32 for closing an alcove,the helmet may also include a manual actuation zone 33 for actuating thehatch 32 and arranged to cause the hatch 32 to pass from its closedposition towards its open position in response to manual action that isexerted on the manual actuation zone 33.

Typically the zone 33 for manually actuating the hatch 32 is a button ofa hatch-locking mechanism, the hatch-locking mechanism being arranged tohold the hatch 32 automatically in its closed position when it is movedmanually into the closed position, and to move the hatch towards itsopen position in response to manual action on the manual actuation zone.

For example, the actuation mechanism may include a monostable hookmechanically connected to the manual actuation zone and movable betweena monostable position for holding the hatch in its closed position and arelease position that is reached in response to said manual action onthe manual actuation zone.

Preferably, said hatch 32 is a hatch selected from the hatch groupconstituted by a hatch that is slidable along the hard shell and facingits outside face, a hatch that is slidable along the hard shell andfacing its inside face, a hinged hatch that is arranged to pivotrelative to the hard shell, and any combination of such hatches.

Preferably, and in any of the above embodiments, the helmet may includean electronic device 60 selected from the electronic device groupconstituted by:

-   -   an electronic antitheft alarm device comprising a sound source        and/or a transmitter sending an alarm message via a wireless        communication network (which message may be an SMS, an MMS, or        any other form of message);    -   an electronic device for geolocating the helmet;    -   a device for detecting an impact applied to the housing;    -   a device for detecting breakage of the ring (e.g. by detecting a        loss of electrical continuity along the ring);    -   a device for detecting tear-off forces applied to the housing;        and    -   an electronic device 61 for detecting at least one current        position of the ring relative to the housing (which electronic        device for detecting at least one current position of the ring        relative to the housing is arranged to transmit a signal        representative of the current position via a communication        channel, the message being sent to another electronic device        optionally incorporated in the helmet, e.g. inside the housing,        or else remote from the helmet, in order to cause a function        that is performed by that other electronic device either to be        executed or else to be stopped), and any combination of such        electronic devices.

For example, an electronic device 60 that is suitable for beingincorporated in the helmet, and preferably in the housing, is the deviceshown in FIG. 10.

This device 60 comprises:

-   -   batteries 63 (e.g. lithium ion or lithium polymer type for        electrically powering all or part of the device 60);    -   a 3G/4G M2M communication chip 60 for providing the device 60        with connectivity via a wireless network;    -   an accelerometer 65 for detecting impacts and/or movements;    -   a port 62, e.g. for recharging the batteries 63;    -   a circuit 66 for geolocating the helmet 1; and    -   electronic detector device 61 for detecting at least one current        position of the ring relative to the housing (the detector        device 61 may include a strike plate with a mechanical switch        that is moved under the action of the ring moving).

Depending on the position of the ring 15 relative to the housing 20 asdetected by the ring position detector device 61:

-   -   if the ring is detected in the stowed position, the        communication functions of the circuit via a wireless network        are then deactivated (thereby preserving the user from exposure        to communication signals) and possibly all of the other        functions of the device 60 could also be deactivated; and    -   if the ring is detected in a position other than the stowed        position (e.g. in the extended position), a shock-detection        function that can be performed by the accelerometer is then        activated, and in the event of such a shock being detected, then        at least one action is performed by the electronic device 60.

By way of example, this at least one action may be:

-   -   transmitting the current position of the helmet as detected        using the circuit 66 for geolocating the helmet 1; and/or    -   generating at least one audible and/or visible alarm via alarm        means belonging to the device 60.

More precisely, on detecting that the ring is in the extended position,the device 60 becomes activated and records the geolocated position ofthe helmet together with information relating to any impacts, vibrationor movement of the helmet, attempted theft.

The device 60 communicates remotely with the telephone of the owner ofthe helmet via a wireless network (e.g. via a Web server and anapplication installed in the telephone).

At some determined repetition rate, the device transmits to saidtelephone, via the wireless network (e.g. via a 3G, 4G, or 5G network),information concerning the geo-located position and any alerts relatingto any impacts, vibration or movement of the helmet, attempted theft.

The user is thus warned in the event of an attempt at stealing thehelmet, making it possible to act accordingly while also knowing theposition of the helmet.

While the helmet is in use, the ring is placed in its stowed position,which is detected by the electronic detector device 61, and thecommunication functions of the circuit via the wireless network are thendeactivated possibly together with all of the other functions of thedevice 60.

The invention is not limited to the example described above, and mayinclude other embodiments, e.g. any combination of the characteristicsof the various embodiments of the invention.

Furthermore, although the base and/or the cover and/or the entirehousing as described above is/are preferably made of metal, at leastsome of them could be made of plastics material. Under suchcircumstances, it is preferable for the above-mentioned electronicdevice 60 to be incorporated in the helmet in order to detect an attemptat breaking into the housing and generate an alarm.

1. A helmet comprising a hard shell and a flexible shell extendinginside the hard shell, the helmet including an attachment devicesuitable for attaching to an antitheft system external to the helmet,wherein the attachment device comprises a ring suitable for having alink of said antitheft system external to the helmet pass therethrough,the ring being mechanically connected to the hard shell so as to bemovable relative to the hard shell between a stowed position and anextended position; in the stowed position, a major portion of the ringis located inside a cavity that is defined at least in part by said hardshell and, in the extended position, at least a portion of the ring islocated outside said cavity to enable said link of the antitheft systemto pass through the ring, the wherein helmet includes a rigid base thatis rigidly fastened against the hard shell, said ring being mechanicallyconnected to the hard shell via the rigid base; and wherein said basefurther includes guide surfaces for guiding movement of said ringrelative to the base in order to guide the movement of the ring betweenthe stowed position and the extended position, the guide surfaces beingfixed in position relative to said hard shell and being located for themost part inside said cavity.
 2. (canceled)
 3. (canceled)
 4. The helmetaccording to claim 1, wherein said base is rigidly fastened against thehard shell by a plurality of fastenings that are spaced apart from oneanother so that the base is pressed against the hard shell under theeffect of the plurality of fastenings.
 5. The helmet according to claim4, wherein a fastening of the plurality of fastenings is selected fromthe group of fastenings consisting in: a rivet, a screw, molding thehard shell over zones of the base, and combinations of these fastenings.6. The helmet according to claim 1, including a housing, the basebelonging to the housing, the housing also including a cover preventingaccess to a mechanical connection zone between the ring and the base, inthe stowed position, said major portion of the ring being located insidethe housing.
 7. The helmet according to claim 6, wherein the ring is arigid ring that is open and that, in any of said stowed and extendedpositions, is open solely to the inside of the housing.
 8. The helmetaccording to claim 6, wherein the ring is a rigid ring that is closed.9. The helmet according to claim 6, wherein the ring is flexible and isconstituted by a cable having first and second terminal ends, whichfirst and second terminal ends are attached to the base.
 10. The helmetaccording to claim 9, further including a locking device that is movablebetween a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration under theaction of a control of the locking device, the locking device beingfastened to the helmet, in the locked configuration, the second end ofthe cable is attached to the base via the locking device and, in theunlocked configuration, the second end of the cable is free and islocated outside the housing.
 11. The helmet according to claim 6,wherein the housing contains at least one return member for returningthe ring from its stowed position towards its extended position, saidmember being placed inside the housing and said return member belongingto a group of members comprising a resilient return member, and amagnetic return member.
 12. The helmet according to claim 6, wherein thehousing includes two rails for guiding the ring to move in translationbetween the stowed position and the extended position.
 13. The helmetaccording to claim 6, wherein the housing includes at least onemechanical abutment arranged to be in contact against the ring when thering is in its stowed position so as to prevent it from passing towardsits extended position.
 14. The helmet according to claim 6, wherein thehelmet also includes a manual actuation zone for actuating the ring andarranged to cause the ring to pass from its stowed position to itsextended position in response to manual action exerted on the manualactuation zone.
 15. The helmet according to claim 6, also including anelectronic device selected from the group of electronic devicesconstituted by: an antitheft alarm electronic device comprising a soundsource and/or a transmitter for transmitting an alarm message via awireless communications network; an electronic device for geolocatingthe helmet; a device for detecting an impact applied to the housing; adevice for detecting breaking of the ring; a device for detectingtear-off forces applied to the housing; an electronic detector devicedetecting at least one current position of the ring relative to thehousing; and any combination of these electronic devices.
 16. The helmetaccording to claim 1, wherein said cavity is defined at least in part byan inside face of the hard shell that faces the flexible shell.
 17. Thehelmet according to claim 1, wherein said cavity is defined by anoutside face of said hard shell, in a setback located in the outsideface.
 18. The helmet according to claim 17, wherein the cavity definedby the outside face forms an alcove, the helmet including a hatch forclosing the alcove, the hatch being movable between an alcove-openposition and an alcove-closed position, the hatch in the open positionallowing the ring to be positioned in its extended position so that saidat least one portion of the ring is located outside the alcove, and thehatch in the closed position preventing the ring from passing to theextended position.
 19. The helmet according to claim 18, also includinga manual actuation zone for actuating the hatch and arranged to causethe hatch to pass from its closed position towards its open position inresponse to manual action exerted on said manual actuation zone.